Governor for explosive engines



Mar. 3, 1925.

E. W. YARLOTT GOVERNOR FOR EXPLOSIVE ENGINES Filed Jan. 25, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet l t 0 m m M W E Mar. 3. 1925. 1 1,528,646-

E. W. YARLOTT GOVERNOR FOR 'EXPLOSIVE ENGINES Filed Jan. 25, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 45' w 4 7 $5 I m n J6 Z 5 fizz 71 A j iii X .27

6km new Patented Mar. 3, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATEnT OFFICE.-

EARL W. YARLOTT, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

GOVERNOR FOR EXPLOSIVE ENGINES.

Application filed January 25; 1924. .Serial No. 688,630.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EARL W. YARLOTT, a citizen of the United States, residin at Detroit, in the countyof Wayne and tate of Michigan, have invented new and useful Improvements in Governors for Explosive Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to governing -devices for explosive engines.

An object of the invention is to provide a mechanism which will automatically maintain the engine at a predetermined selected speed, irrespective of the variations in load placed upon the same. Q

As is well known, when the load upon an engine is suddenly decreased, there is a tendency for the sameto race until the operator adjusts the fuel control valve. Again, when the load is suddenly increased the engine speed is cut down until the operator adjusts the fuelvalve.

The present invention contemplates the provision of means for automatically and quickly adjusting the fuel valve to suit the varying conditions under which the engine is used and comprises, broadly, a piston within a cylinder, the piston being connected to the governing valve for the fuel and being actuated by the variation of suction in the engine. As understood, the suction of an internal combustion engine, the intake manifold for instance, varies directly with the speed of the engine, and the invention makes use of this variation to govern the fuel control valve.

A further object of the invention is to render the governor very sensitive',-so that the fuel valve will bequiokly operated under even very slight variations in the speed of the motor.

Further objects of the invention, such as the provision of a device which is compara- .tively simple in construction, positive in operation, and which may be cheaply manufactured and readily installed will become apparent as the. description roceeds in connection with a preferred em odiment of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a power unit with the invention applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the governing device.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view with part of the casing broken away.

Figure 4 is a. section on the line 4-4. of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 6 is a detail view of the piston stem.

Referring to the drawings for a more detailed description, 10 indicates an internal combustion engine having an intake manifold 11 provided with an inletbranch 11, which communicates with the carburetor 12, through a box 'or housing 13, for the fuel control valve 14 (Figure 2), in the present instance the valve being one of the butterfly type. The box 13 is provided with flanges 13 y means of which the same is secured to the intake manifold and the carburetor, as is well understood by one skilled in the art, and, therefore, no further description of this feature is thought to be necessary. The valve 14 is mounted upon a rock shaft having a bearing 15 at one side of the box and at the other side extending through a bearing 16 into. a chamber 17 having an opening which is closed by means of a plug 18. A pinion 19 is positioned upon the free end of the valve shaft and engages with a rack 20 upon the end of a reciprocable rod 21 mounted in a casing bearing 22 and extending rearwardly from the valve through a casing 23 formed into rally with a cover 24 for a cylinder 25. T1e opposite end of the cylinder is closed by a cap 26 to form an air-tight chamber for a controlling piston which is adapted to actuate the rod 21 connected with the fuel control valve.

Within the cylinder is a piston forming a primary vacuum chamber 24 and a compensating vacuum chamber on the opposite side of the piston. The chamber 24' is in communication with the engine, preferably with the intake manifold, through a suitable conduit 22, so that the suction serves to move the piston and to actuate the valve 14. The piston, which is preferably of the reciprocating type, comprises a hollow section 27 having a skirt or wall 28, the section being also formed-with a central opening through which projects a hollow stem 29. One side of' the section 27 abuts a collar upon the stem, the latter extending into bearings 31, 32, in the opposite nds of the cylinder. Bushings 3 surround the stem in its bearings and guide the same in its reciprocatory movements longitudinally of the cylinder. The piston comprises a second section having a skirt or wall 36 and tightly clam ed upon the stem by means of a nut 37. T e two piston sections are placed apart by means of washers 39 and the section 36 is provided with a plurality of radially extending passages 40 (Figures 2 and 4) communicatin with radially extending passages 41 in t 1e piston. The passages 41 all lead to a longitudinal stem passage 42, which is controlled by means of a valve 43. fixedly mounted in the cylinder and adapted to enter the reduced passage portion 42 when the stem is moved to the left as viewed in Figure 2. The ,valve 43 has a stem 44 extending through a sleeve valve 45, to the exterior of the cylinder. The valve 43 may be adjusted longitudinally of the cylinder, so that it will open and close the passage 42 at any desired point in the travel of the piston, by a construction which will be later described. The piston stem has a port 47 (Figure 6), which is opened and closed by the'sleeve the end of the sleeve within the cylinder fits into the end of the piston stem to form a sleeve valve.

From the above it will be clear that the passage 42 is controlled, first by the valve 43, fitting into the reduced portion 42 of the same as the piston moves, and, secondly,

by the sleeve valve 45, the longitudinal movement of the piston stem within the cylinder causing the opening and closing the port,47.

The piston is normally maintained at a desired position in the cylinder, by means of a spring 50 which abuts a collar 51 held against movement longitudinally of the rod 21 by means of a transversely extending pin 52. The opposite end of the spring bears against a collar 53, which abuts the forked end of a-bell-crank lever 54 fulcrumed upon a transversely extending shaft 55 in the housing. The other end of the lever has a lateral extension 56 internally threaded to receive an adjusting screw 57 extending through the wall of the housing 23 and held in position by means of a lock nut 58'having a central bore to receive the head 59 of the screw. The lock nut loosely engages a collar 60 upon the screw so as to permit rotation of the screw without longitudinal movem'entof the same. Obviously, rotation of the screw will move the fork end of the lever toward and from the end of the c linder, thereby varying the tension of t e spring 50; and the latter pressing against the abutment collar 51 will move the rod 21, which fits into the end of the piston stem, as indicated at 58.

The suction in the intake manifold is transmitted to the cylinder chamber 24' at one side of the piston, and, obviously, this suction will create a partial vacuum in the chamber which serves, when the suction has become sufliciently strong to overcome the tension of the spring 50, and to move the piston to the right, as viewed in Figure 2, thereby compressing the spring. It will be understood that the tension of the spring may be varied by the screw 57 to maintain the piston in selected position and against movement by the suction until the latter reaches a desired strength. As will be undersood, the force of the suction varies directly as the speed of the motor, and thus the valve 14 will not be moved by the piston until the speed increases to the desired amount, which may be determined by adjusting the spring 50. The suction or vacuum created in the chamber 24 moves the piston to the ri ht in Figure 2, and closes the valve 14. 11 order to render the device very sensitive, the passages 40, 41, permit the suction to be transmitted to the opposite side of the piston into the chamber 25. The point in the movement of the piston in which the suction will pass to the opposite side of the piston may' be selected by ad'ustment of the sleeve 45 and the valve 43. flbviously, when the suction passes through the passage 42 to the chamber 25, the pressure upon opposite sides of the piston will be equalized and the spring 50 may readily return to the left and thereby .move the fuel control valve 14 in the opposite direction to open the same as soon as there is any decrease in the suction. The point in the piston travel at which the suction is transmitted to the opposite side of the piston mav be selected by adjusting the valves 43 and 45, and this is done in'the following manner:

The reduced stem portion 45' of the sleeve valve 45 passes through a bearing nut 66 in the cap 26, and upon the end of the same is mounted an ad usting nut 67 having a series of pockets in which are positioned balls 68 resting in seat-s 68 nut 66. Upon the periphery of the nut 67 is threaded 'a cap 70 having a counter-bore 71, in which is positioned a spring 72 pressin the bearin ing a plate 73 against the balls to hold them within their respective recesses and seats, the balls serving to frictionally hold the cap 70 and adjusting nut 67 against accidental movement. The stem of the valve 43 extends through the stem of the sleeve valve 45 and the cap 26 and its threaded end 74 has mounted thereon an adjusting nut 75 which, when rotated, will move the valve 43 longitudinally of the cyilnder. The nut 75 may be locked by means of a lock nut 76 threaded upon the end of the stem 44. Obviously, the valve 45 may be adjusted by rotating the cap 70 and the adjusting nut 67 upon noted that the port 47 is so formed that its the end of the reduced portion 45, which will move the valve 45 longitudinally of the cylinder.

The construction above described ermits very fine adjustments of the two va ves 43 and 45. The opening 47 controlled by the valve 45 is a V-shaped one, as will be noted in Figure 6, and, therefore, as the piston moves in the cylinder, the port 47 will be gradually opened and closed. It will be area increases substantially as the piston moves, whereby the volume of the suction diverted or transmitted to the opposite side of the piston progressivel increases as the piston travels The' provision of the compensating chamber 25' on the opposite side of the piston from the rimary vacuum chamber 24', renders the evice very sensitive to slight variations in the engine speed. As will be apparent, as soon as the suction passes through the passage 42, a port 47 of the piston into the vacuum chamber 25 the pressure upon opposite sides of the piston will be equalized, and the compression spring 50 is then freeto reverse the movement of v the piston promptly upon any weakening of the cushion.

The general operation of the device is as follows: v The tension of the spring 50 is adjusted by means of the screw 57 to maintain the piston in desired position, which will be determined by the adjustment of the butterfly valve 14, which is necessary to permit the motor to maintain a selected speed The valve 43, which controls the passage 42 and the sleeve valve 45, which opens and closes the port 47 are also adjusted so that at any desired point in the travel of the piston to the right under the influence of the suction of the internal combustion engine, such suction will be transmitted from the chamber 24' to the chamber 25 at the left of the piston to equalize the pressures on op site sides of the piston and thereby permit the spring 50, which has been compressed in the movement of the piston to the right when closing the valve 14, to return the piston and readjust and open the valve upon any decrease inthe suction. When the internal combustion engine is operating at a normal desired speed, the passage 42' and the "VIGWBd in Figure 2, and thereby open the control valve 14 to supply the additional amount of fuel necessary to maintain the speed of the motor. As will be understood, the suction of the engine before the load is increased is suflicient to maintain the piston in the necessary position compressing the spring 50 and maintaining the fuel control valvg 14 properly adjusted for a selected spee Should there be a sudden increase in the 'speed of the engine due to a decrease of the load, the suction or vacuum in the intake manifold. will rise and the same will be transmitted to the chamber 24. The formation of the partial vacuum in this chamber by the application of the suction will move the piston to the right, which tends to close the valve 14 and cut down the speed of the motor, thereby preventing racing of the engine. At the point inthe travel of the piston to the right, when it is desirable to destroy the effect of the suction by equalization of the pressures within the chambers 24 and 25' on the opposite sides of the piston, the port 47 will be opened, thus equalizing the pressure on both sides of the piston and making the governor more sensitive in its control of the valve 14. As long as the load upon the engine is decreased or subnormal, the piston will be maintained to the right of the cylinder by the higher suction, thus compressing the spring 50, and when the load returns to normal or is increased, obviously, the engine speed will lower thereby causing the suction to fall; anddue to the equalization of pressures on the opposite sides of the piston, the spring w1ll freely return the piston to the left of the cylinder (Figure 2), and further open the valve 14.

I claim:

1. The combination with a throttle valve of an explosive engine, of a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder connected to the valve, means for transmitting suction to one side of the piston within the cylinder from the engine, yieldin means for opposing move-- ment of the piston in one direction under -ment of the,,; p1ston in one direction under the influenceg of suction, and automatic means for directing the suction through the 12s the piston has moved a predetermined dis,-

piston to the opposite side of the same when tance.

3. The combination with a throttle-walve of an explosive engine, of a cylindenapiston in said cylinder connected with the-throttle the influence of suction, vand automatic in said cylinder-connected with the throttle valve, yielding means for opposing movement of the piston in one direction, means for transmitting suction from the engine to the cylinder on one side of the piston to ex haust air from the cylinder and thereby to move the piston against said yielding means, and automatically operable means for directing the suction to both sides of said piston at a redetermined point in' the movement of the atter, thereby to equalize the pressure on op osite sides of the piston, said last mentione means bein adjustable to vary the point in the trave of the piston at which the suction is directed to both sides of the piston.

5. The combination with the throttle valve of an explosive engine, of a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder connected with the valve, tension means for opposing movement of the piston in one direction and serving to maintain the piston in a normal position, n'ieans for transmitting suction from the engine to the cylinder at one side of the piston, thereby to move the piston against said tension means when the pressure in the cylinder is sufiiciently reduced, and means for automa tically equalizing the pressure on opposite sides of the piston, when the latter has trav eled a predetermined distance, to permit the tension means to move said piston in the opposite direction.

6. The combination with the throttle "valve of an explosive engine, of a cylinder, a piston and cylinder connected with the valve, tension means for opposing movement of the piston in one direction and serving to maintain the piston in a normal position, means for varying the tension of said means, means for transmitting suction from the engine to the cylinder at one side of the piston, thereby tomove the piston against said tension means when the pressure in the cylinder is sufliciently reduced, and means for automatically equalizing the pressure on opposite sides of the piston, when the latter has traveled a predetermined distance, 'to ermit the tension means to move said piston 1n the opposite direction.

'7. The combination with the throttle valve of an explosive engine, of a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder connected with the valve, tension means for opposing movement of the piston in one direction and serving to maintain the piston in a normal position, means for transmitting suction from the engine to the cylinder at one side of the piston, thereby to move the piston against said tension means when theressure in the'cylinder is sufficiently reduced and means for auto matically equalizing the pressure on opposite sides of the piston, when the latter has traveled a predetermined distance, to permit the tension means to move said piston in the opposite direction, said last mentioned means being adjustable to vary the distance the piston may travel before the pressure on opposite sides thereof is equalized.

8. The combination with the throttle valve of an explosive engine, of a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder connected with the valve, tension means for opposing movement of the piston in one direction and serving to maintain the piston in a normal position, means for transmitting suction from the engine to the cylinder at one side of the piston, thereby to move the piston against said tension means when the pressure in the cylinder is sufiiciently reduced, and means for automatically equalizing the pressure on oposite sides of the piston, when the latter has traveled a predetermined distance, to permit the tension means to move said piston in the opposite direction, said last mentioned means comprising a passage through said piston, and a stationary valve for controlling said passage,

9. The combination with the throttle valve of an explosive engine, of a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder connected with the valve, tension means for opposing movement of the piston in one direction and servin to maintain the piston in a normal position, means for transmitting suction from the engine to the cylinder at one side of the piston, thereby to move the piston against said tension means when the pressure in the cylinder is sufiiciently reduced, and means for automatically equalizing thepressure on opposite sides of the piston, when the latter has traveled a predetermined distance, to permit the tension means to move said piston in the opposite direction, said last mentioned means comprising a passage through said piston, and an adjustable stationary valve for controlling said passage.

10. A governor for an internal combustion engine comprising a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder, means for connecting the piston with the throttle valve, means for transmitting the engine suction to the interior of the cylinder to form a vacuum and move the cylinder in one direction, means yieldable under said suction to maintain the piston in a normal position, and means for automatically breaking down the vacuum as the piston travels.

ill

11. A governor for an internal combustion engine comprising a cylinder, a piston in said c linder, means for connecting the piston with the throttle valve, means for transmitting the engine suction to the interior of the cylinder to form a vacuum and move the cylinder in one direction, means yieldable under said suction to maintain the piston in a normal position, and means for automatically breaking down the vacuum as the piston travels, and with progressive efl'ect.

12. A governor for an internal combustion engine comprising a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder, means for connecting the piston with the throttle valve, means for transmitting the engine suction to the interior of the cylinder to form a vacuum and move the cylinder in one direction, means yieldable under said suction to maintain the piston in a normal position, and means for automatically breaklng down the vacuum as the piston travels, said last mentioned means being adjustable to vary the point in the iston travel at which the vacuum begins to e broken.

13. The combination with a throttle valve of an explosive engine, of acylinde-r, a piston in said cylinder connected with the valve, yieldable tension means for opposing movement of the iston in one direction, means for transmitting suction from the engine to one side of the piston, thereby to move the same against said tension means, and means for automatically reducing the eflect of said suction as the piston travels, said means comprising a discharge passage for diverting at least a portion of the suction.

14. The combination with a throttle valve of an explosive engine, of a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder connected with the valve, yieldable tension means for opposing movement of the piston in one direction, means volume of the suction directed through said passage.

15. The combination with throttle valve of an explosive engine, of a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder connected with the valve, yieldable tension means for opposing movement of the piston in one direction, means for transmitting suction from the engine to one side of the piston, thereby to move the same against said tension means, and means for automatically reducing the effect of said suction when the piston has travelled a predetermined distance, said means comprising a discharge passa e, said passage having an outlet opening t e size of which increases progressively as the piston moves.

16. The combination with a throttle valve of an "explosive engine, of a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder connected to the valve, means for transmitting suction to one side of the piston within the cylinder from the engine, yielding means for opposing movement of the piston in one direction under the influence of suction, and automatic means for directing the suction to the opposite side of the piston when the piston has moved a predetermined distance, said means including a passage, a valve for controlling the passage, the latter having an outlet opening which progressively increases in size as the piston moves.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set m hand.

y EARL W. YARLOTT. 

